Twenty-six villagers appeared in court yesterday charged in connection with tying three officers to an overturned police van and dousing them with petrol in Foshan city, Guangdong, mainland media reported.

The villagers appeared before Shunde District People's Court and the charges included attacking civil servants and arson, the Guangzhou Daily reported.

The paper said the incident occurred on July 23 in Ganxian village, Chencun, when a man called police, saying his fish ponds had been raided in an ownership dispute. Officers responded to the call and were attacked.

Television footage screened in court as evidence showed three police officers bound to the van, surrounded by about 100 onlookers.

One villager removed the cap on the van's petrol tank, let fuel pour out and soaked a piece of cloth before spreading it on the officers.

The footage also showed another villager lighting a Molotov cocktail and throwing it to the ground, igniting the leaking fuel.

The officers were seen crying for help.

A fire engine arrived and the three officers were released by colleagues. They suffered minor injuries